polyethylene

Ultrathin polyethylene films made of nanocrystals

harminka — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:09:15 -0500

Layers of plastic, much thinner than a strand of hair—this type of ultrathin polymer film is of great interest to scientists and engineers. Applications include protective coatings, for example. A research team led by Stefan Mecking at the University of Konstanz has now developed a new method to produce wafer-thin layers. As reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the scientists made their films from individual prefabricated nanocrystal building blocks.

New joint replacement material developed for clinical use

harminka — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 02:30:22 -0500

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) surgeons have performed the first total hip replacement using a joint socket lined with a novel material invented at the MGH.

Polypeptide synthesis done differently

harminka — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:40:35 -0500

Usually, the synthesis of short protein chains (polypeptides) begins with the production of their components, the amino acids. But it can be done differently: In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Chinese researchers report a considerably more convenient method that is similar to olefin polymerization, which is used for the mass production of plastics such as polyethylene.